What is CERT?

Why do the CERT Training?

CERT members are primarily used in their own neighborhoods. CERT training means you are as ready as you can be to help yourself, your family, and your neighborhood, and serves as the basic level of training for all community-based disaster volunteer teams. In a disaster, normal activities will be disrupted; police, fire, 9-1-1, and ambulances will be quickly overwhelmed and may not be able to respond for 72 hours. Residents need to be able to take care of themselves until the professional emergency responders arrive. One goal of the CERT program is to help residents respond to and assist others in need and do so effectively without placing themselves in unnecessary danger.  

CERT Training Overview

The CERT Basic Course is delivered by qualified instructors who will follow protocols established by FEMA, Homeland Security, and local emergency managers. It includes the following components:  

• Disaster Preparedness: Addresses hazards specific to the community. Materials cover actions that participants and their families take before, during and after a disaster as well as an overview of CERT and local laws governing volunteers.

• Small Fire Suppression: Covers fire chemistry, hazardous materials, fire hazards and fire suppression strategies. However, the thrust of this session is the safe use of fire extinguishers, controlling utilities and extinguishing a small fire.  

• Medical Operations Part I: Participants practice diagnosing and treating airway obstruction, bleeding and shock by using simple triage and rapid treatment techniques.  

• Medical Operations Part II: Covers evaluating patients by doing a head-to-toe assessment, establishing a medical treatment area and performing basic first aid.  

• Light Search and Rescue Operations: Participants learn about search and rescue planning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques and rescuer safety.  

• Psychology and Team Organization: Covers signs and symptoms that might be experienced by the disaster victim and workers, and addresses CERT organization and management.  

• Course Review and Disaster Simulation: Participants review and practice the skills that they have learned during the previous six sessions in a disaster activity.  

Upcoming Riverside County CERT Course Opportunities

CERT training is a commitment of 20 hours of training (must attend all 20hrs). There is no cost for the training of County CERT courses. Participants must be over the age of 18-year-old. Minors 14 years old and over may participate but require a parent or guardian to attend the course.  Only those who successfully complete the practical exercise with hands-on instruction in fire suppression, search and rescue, cribbing and medical, will receive a certificate of completion and a free CERT kit. Class size is limited to the first 40 people who register. Classes may be canceled or re-scheduled if the minimum threshold of registrants is not met.  

To register for the basic CERT training course, visit the Riverside County CERT website by going to  https://www.rivcocert.org/registration.htm or clicking on the image below